Hello Everyone,
I need to know a good way to study shorthand. I’m learning from the Diamond Jubilee Series, Second Edition book along with the Shorthand for Colleges workbook also Diamond Jubilee Series, Volume One, Second Edition. I practice the strokes first, read the section at the end of the chapter twice, then write it out. I then go on to the workbook and write out the words in the chapter. Is this okay? Is there a better way?
P.S. Great Site!!
Chuck, Thank you much for the encouragement as I will need it as I further my studies in shorthand!
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Sounds good to me! Remember to always go back in the lessons to make sure that you recall the material well. Never go ahead in a lesson when there are doubts, and don't skip lessons. Even the review lessons are important.
Good luck in your studies, and let us know your progress.
I have a similar process to you as well. I'm learning Anniversary with the Manual and a Fundamental Drills book which just contains 5 pages of shorthand material for each Unit. I find that I always want to rush to the next unit instead of reading and writing all the fundamental drills, but it does really make a positive difference if you do all the necessary drills. Going through the book is exciting, and I can imagine speedbuilding will be an even more interesting part of the experience.
Welcome Skyy. I'm glad to see another Diamond Jubilee person. We seem to be a minority in this group but DJS is what I learned in high school and I prefer to stick with it. At the moment I am "relearning" it. I remember in school that we read the forms, sentences, letters, ect. out loud during class and our homework was to write each form filling at least half of one column of the steno book. (Actually our "steno book" paper was notebook paper with a line drawn down the middle.) If we didn't feel we were writing it correctly at that point, we were to write another "section". You continued in this manner until you felt you could write the form correctly. Then you went to the next form, sentence, letter, etc. as the case may be. We only did one chapter at a time and copied/wrote the letters in the chapter as well. The next day in class we had to turn in the homework and the teacher would let us know if we were indeed writing the form correctly. She started dictating about the third week of school. She used the words/forms we had studied so far and at that point it wasn't anything about speed, just getting used to hearing someone else say the word and writing it. As she put it, you may think you know the form but when someone else's voice says it you may be blank – not connecting the spoken word and the written one at first. So she wanted us to get used to writing what other people said. She also had us read the sentences/letters aloud in class. As we learned more and the letters because easier to read she encouraged us to read them out loud, sounding out the forms if we were unsure of them. Her belief was that reading and hearing the forms as well as writing them would put them into our heads solidly. We also wrote our own memos or letters (short ones of course) to enforce what we were learning. It was hilarious to hear what the others wrote since we were always trying to outdo each other. Learning on your own isn't easy and yes, I wish at times there was a class I could take or find a shorthand teacher to work with, but we all struggle along and ask for help or clarification of things we don't understand. That is one thing that this group is wonderful for. Everyone may be using a different system – Anni, Simplified, etc. but they are always willing to help you if you ask. So don't rush on to the next chapter until you feel you have the one you're working on down pat, then review it as you continue in your learning. So that's my two cents on the subject. Hope the above helps a little. Joanne
I'm a DJS person, too! (And the proud owner of both volumes of Shorthand for Colleges, 2nd edition). I decided to stick with DJS because it's the version I learned 26 years ago. It feels funny to say "26 years ago"! –Alison
Ha! I'm not going to say how long ago it was for me – I'll just say it's been 30+ years since I graduated from high school. I am getting along better in my "relearning" than I expected. Guess those forms stay behind a closed door in your brain and just wait for you to open that door. Of course they are a little shy about coming out but I'll persevere… Take care, Joanne
To the above plan, I would add:
Read it until it's almost as fast as reading normal text.
I start the next lesson before I'm fully finished with the previous one. This way I have a lesson of "new material" and one of "old" on the go at one time. I don't leave the lesson until I'm fluent, but this way I spend more weeks on each lesson and have several passages at once, so I'm reading rather than memorizing. It also works well with my (non)schedule. I usually have one task needing a table and absolute concentration (dictation), and one just needing room on the couch watching the kids.
I also found reading my own notes to be very important. I write from the text into the left column, then after several pages (it varies), I copy from the left column to the right column. I found a lot of bad habits that way!
On the other hand, the first time through it may be better to motor through as you are doing. It's exactly what I did the first time. Can't say I learned it very well that way, but it was good enough to read what others wrote. I did find the later chapters very frustrating, though, when they used something I hadn't properly learned. Later on, they start leaving out sounds, and if you can't read the words around the new one, you don't have the benefit of context.
Another trick is to write on a blackboard, and then with your finger in a tray of rice; it really does help your body remember the shape and use your hand in ways that prevent cramping. (My son's occupational therapist made him do that.)
The main thing is to use what works for you at the time, and have a good basket of other methods if it stops working.
Cheers!
Joanne,
I like seeing how your formal class went. It's neat that she considered "just getting used to hearing someone else say the word and writing it" to be a separate step, and that she made you read out loud. Reading out loud is still a part of teaching kids to read English.
Cheers!
Cricket
Just a clarification (not that it matters, really, but I like to be precise):
When I suggested having two lessons on the go at once, I meant the first one being at the stage of finishing up the dictation time goal rather than still learning it.
Cricket
A word of encouragement. . .Since I've been going over my shorthand for the past month or so, when I take dictation or write phone messages at work, I'm getting faster, and you will, too, skyy, I bet. And, what someone else said here is true, those brief forms, outlines, etc. do stay in your brain.
Where did you get these books? These may be what I need.
Hi enjaem1 Most of these books mentioned can be bought on eBay, abebooks.com, or Amazon. Some are widely available from all three sites, others are harder to find, but do occasionally appear on those sites. Most of my DJS books cost less than $5 USD from abebooks.com, but I know that others prefer buying from eBay or Amazon. Pick your series, though, because mixing them might be a problem until you've learned one series well. sidhe
Very helpful information here!